Last week I was so busy with the missions conference so Aunt Hannah came to stay for a few days to help out with Noa. What a huge blessing! Noa came love being held by her auntie and will miss her so much when she goes back to Japan!
On Saturday, Noa and I got to celebrate the arrival of Paul Tongen at his baby shower. We had such a wonderful time. Noa obviously got pretty comfy taking a nap with little Paul. Shhhhhh! we won’t tell her daddy…
Here she is with her first and favorite set of wheels. Thank you so much, lovely ladies of Shiloh, for your sweet gift. We love it!
Every year our church has a huge reformation party out on the Marsh’s farm. It’s always been fun to go and see all the adorable kids in their costumes and enjoy fun games, great food, and fellowship. This year, I was really excited because someone had given Noa a sweet little bear outfit that was warm and cute and would be perfect for her costume to the party. To my dismay, her father decided it would be way better if she dressed up like a foorball instead, with Eric and I as the players. Well, I am humbled because for all my complaining, she did make a pretty cute football and we got lots of compliments on eric’s creativity. He kept saying all evening, “I’m not gonna fumble…”
(you’ll notice her little bear ears sticking up; that was only allowed in order to keep her warm)
A while back, Eric posted about his Nana, one of his heros. Well, I want to write about one of mine. Kate is 2 and a half and I had the priviledge of spending 20+ hours a week with her and her two sisters this last year (I was their nanny). Less than 2 months ago Kate was diagnosed with a brain tumor and just started intensive chemotherapy last week to fight it. It seems so wrong that such a beautiful, sweet little girl should be going through this. Kate had to have surgery a month ago and now with this chemo, I wonder if her young mind understands that all the pain she is going through is to fight the yet unpainful tumor that could take her life. It actually reminds me of sin in our lives. The means the Lord uses to extract it can seem so much more painful than the consequences. But just as Kate can only trust that her parents love her and are doing what is best for her, I need to learn to trust my Father as he deals with deadly sin in my life.
Please pray for Kate and her family as they wait on God’s healing in her body. Pray that her body would be strong even though the chemo can make her so weak. And pray that God would be glorified in her life, even in the pain she is going through now. Thank you.
Chloe, Sophie, and Kate with their beloved “Mr. Noll”
Noa finally showing a little of her true personality for the camera. Yes, we had our first social smiles from her! (i couldn’t decide which one was cuter so i put all three on).
as promised to uncle francey, a photo of noa pretty in pink
trying so hard to get that head up…
Noa getting some lovin’ from her favorite cousin! She loves you too, Daniel Josiah!
i have never loved or appreciated my mom as much as i do now. i’ve been holing noa about 95% of the last 36 hours because it seems like she has a belly ache and the only way she won’t fuss is if she’s being cuddled (and even that isn’t always working). i just never realized how much my mom loved me – both in word and in deed – until i’ve had my own daughter and felt that love and been compelled to act on it. as much as i hate seeing noa feel poorly, there is nothing i would rather be doing than holding and comforting and loving her right now. im so thankful for a mom that felt that way too. for the last 29 years, her priority has been to hold, comfort, pray for, and love her children. and now she loves doing it for her grandchildren too. what a blessing!
